Pasadena Adaptive Sports Festival at Brookside Park

Most sports days ask you to watch. This one asks you to pick up the equipment. The 8th annual Pasadena Adaptive Sports Festival turns Brookside Park into an open field day where people with disabilities, their friends and their families can try sports they may never have had a chance to play. It is a good entry on any list of LA events this weekend, and it costs nothing to take part.

When: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 9 AM to 2 PM Where: Brookside Park, 360 N Arroyo Blvd, Pasadena Price: Free Ages: All ages

What you can try

The lineup covers a wide range: wheelchair basketball, tennis, rugby, pickleball, hockey and golf, plus handcycling, archery, swimming and boccia. The event flyer also lists javelin. There is an art workshop for anyone who would rather make something than throw it, and a resource fair where local organizations explain programs and services for people living with disabilities.

Equipment and instruction are provided, so you do not need to bring a chair, a bow or a racket. The stated goal is simple: introduce adaptive sports to more people, raise awareness and inclusion in the community, and have fun doing it. Families are welcome to play together, which makes this one of the more welcoming things happening in Los Angeles County this month.

Registration and the small print

Registration is separate from showing up, so sign up first through the event's own page. Online registration closes November 6 for adaptive athletes and November 7 for friends and family. The first 25 participants with disabilities who arrive and register get a free event T-shirt, and a pizza lunch is provided to all adaptive athletes. If you have dietary restrictions, plan to bring your own lunch.

As with any outdoor event, check the listing for last-minute changes before you head out. Activity dates and times on listing sites can shift.

Getting there

Brookside Park sits in the Arroyo Seco next to the Rose Bowl, so on a normal Saturday it is easy to find, though parking near the stadium can fill up. Arrive early if you want to try several sports before the early afternoon wrap-up, and wear comfortable clothes you do not mind sweating in. Bring water and sunscreen, since most of the activities are outdoors.

If you are browsing upcoming events in Los Angeles for something the whole family can do together, or you know someone curious about adaptive sports but unsure where to start, this is a low-pressure first step. Everyone who comes gets a turn.

More Pasadena listings are on the Pasadena neighborhood page, and more community picks live under Arts and Culture.